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Bill Clinton, Unplugged: Calls Shuster's Comments 'Careless, Crass, Cruel'
February 13, 2008 7:19 PM
On WMAL-AM yesterday in an interview with Chris Plante, former President Bill Clinton implied the media has been unfair to his wife, stated that she was standing up to sexism when she took on NBC, and -- when asked about MSNBC's David Shuster's comments about his daughter, Chelsea -- said there was a double standard.
"If he had made a racial slur against Senator Obama, he would have been fired," Clinton said.
Of his wife's recent travails, he said, "the caucuses aren't good for her. They disproportionately favor upper-income voters who, who, don't really need a president but feel like they need a change."
(An interesting description of caucus voters, and upper-income voters, to say the least.)
Listen to part 1 HERE and part 2 HERE
"I think she has been the underdog ever since Iowa," Clinton said. "She’s had, you know, a lot of the politicians, like Senator Kennedy, opposed to her. She’s had, the political press has avowedly played a role in this election. I've never seen this before."
He said they'd done well considering their slim budget. "We've gotten plenty of delegates on a shoestring," he said.
He did not mention that his wife's campaign has raised more than $140 million.
Asked Plante: "You said, Mr. President, that the political press has played a role in this. Do you think the press has been unfair to Senator Clinton, and excessively generous to Barack Obama?
Clinton said of the press, "they’ve been active participants in this election, and you know what the objective studies done. And they’ve, many of them are willing to be quoted on the record. But I don’t want to talk about the press. I want to talk about the people. That’s what’s wrong with this election, people trying to take this election away from the people."
Plante asked about Sen. Clinton's reaction to the comments Shuster made about Chelsea being "pimped out" by the campaign: "There have been other incidents on MSNBC, where Keith Olbermann, for example, said President Bush was pimping General David Petraeus, where Erin Burnett referred to President Bush twice as 'the monkey,'" Plante said. "Inappropriate things are said by the press. Do you believe it’s really appropriate for senior government leaders to come down on reporters when they become angry with things that they’ve said?"
Said Clinton, slowly, "I think it was inappropriate for him... to refer ...to my daughter ….in the way he did."
He went on, "it was representative of the kind of blatant, careless, crass, cruel remarks that are altogether too common. And I wouldn’t use disrespectful language referring to General Petraeus or anybody else. But I think that it is remarkable how many sexist things have been said in this campaign that have not been reprimanded.
"Hillary never complains when people say things about her or me. But when he involved my daughter, she complained, and I think it was the right thing to do.
"Look, free speech runs two ways, they had to decide, MSNBC decided, they have certainly given their reporters a lot of latitude, their commentators. But free speech runs two ways. And I think that when somebody says something like that, if he had been, made a racial slur against Senator Obama, he would have been fired."
Added the president, "She just stuck up for her daughter, and for girls everywhere, and women everywhere, and it’s about time somebody did after a lot of the rhetoric we’ve been through in this election."
h/t - Newsbusters
- jpt
February 13, 2008 in Clinton, Hillary | Permalink | Share | User Comments (292)
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Romano,
Ann Coulter might be voting for a Democrat. Is she not a real Repub?
Posted by: Jean | Feb 14, 2008 11:59:26 PM
Irony of ironies that the very couple who propelled crude, immoral, to say nothing of dishonest behavior into our living-rooms daily via TV scandals on a daily basis would complain about the misuse (or not) of a single word. I cannot think of a single organization let alone individual or couple that has done more to erode the civility of our public discourse than the first couple It is my sincere hope that the Clintons will be rejected by the public and the democratic establishment so they won't be able to harm our country any more than they already have.
Posted by: dave esser | Feb 14, 2008 11:53:55 PM
RippyJohns that is disgusting.
I am in independent who leans conservative who lives in Texas and will be voting for Obama.
No more Clintons! That is the goal!
Clintons were disgusting too with all they have done and got away with.
Posted by: Jean | Feb 14, 2008 11:39:13 PM
Nobama No way! Stop the evil one. Vote republican.
Posted by: John Romano | Feb 14, 2008 10:56:58 PM
Take a look at Wall Street Journal On Line and search for the article "The Clintons' Terror Pardons". Read this article and then ask yourself if this is the person that you want as your next president. The people they pardoned to try and gain latino votes maimed and blinded several policemen. I was angry when I read this and sent it to every one I know and ask you to do the same.
Posted by: Duke | Feb 14, 2008 10:45:16 PM
I find it funny everyone who talks about the Clinton family being so corrupt, granted they have issues; but what about the Bush/Bin Laden Family? People in glass houses...
Posted by: Heyguy101 | Feb 14, 2008 10:36:04 PM
I really don't care about the sex thing any longer that happened in the white houe, it's over and done with, But what bothers me the most is all the crimmal act's that the dirty clinton's got away with, Ron Brown secretary of commerce and former DNC chairman, reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologlist close to the investigation reported that their was difintely a hole on the top of Brown's skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors., Vince Foster-former white house counselor, and colleague of HILLARY CLINTON at little rock's rose law firm. Died very mysteriously of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide. Mary Mahoney- A former white house intern was murdered july 1997 at a Starbucks coffee shop in georgetown, the murder took place just aftershe was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the white house,under, Bill pervert Clinton.....James Mcdougal- Clintons convicted Whitewater parter died of an apparent heat attack, while in solitary confinement, He was A KEY witness in Ken Starr's investigation.And their were others too, no,no, these two are scum, they are nothing more than cold blooded KILLER"S. There are so many people that knew the the truth about the Clinton's, and they were MURDERED to keep their silence, I hope the same thing happen's to them that happened to all these people who had to die to keep them silent, I will celebrate on that day.
Posted by: frank | Feb 14, 2008 10:35:55 PM
President Clinton is ABSOLUTELY right, the political press has been incredibly biased in their favor of Obama, and they have had a huge part in driving the results of the Democratic nomination, to their grave discredit. Totally unprofessional in journalism!!! But, hopefully, it will be the female species of this nation who will decide this election and vote based on experience and NOT on the press-appointed messiah. Most of these political press are so afraid of a strong, capable woman, despite the fact that they all have mothers who were possibly, hopefully similar. They must be so proud!!David Shuster, Chris Matthews and the like should be fired. Go to the polls, ladies and show them what "CHANGE" really means! And maybe, just maybe, the political press will report THAT!!! YoU GO GIRL!!! We're counting on you!
Posted by: susan leff | Feb 14, 2008 10:33:02 PM
Bill Clinton was allowed to stay in the Whitehouse after his disgraceful conduct....it's called forgiveness, Bill and Hil....it's too bad that for you, forgiveness is a one way street. It will be so good to see you both go....and please take Carville, Begala, et als with you.
Posted by: Brimfield | Feb 14, 2008 9:53:05 PM
Well EXCUSE me, but who is sticking up for the BOYS???
If he was President for 8 years, etc. etc and still refers to WOMEN or his adult daughter as "girls" then this is just confirmation of his and his complete and extended families complete clueless state of AFFAIRS... oops... did I say that outloud???
Posted by: imawomannotagurl | Feb 14, 2008 9:39:20 PM
Keep Chelsey in the crib or pack her off to Europe with an alias. Same ol' story, "I did not have sex with that woman." Billy- you did PIMP that daughter.
Slick Willy and that snake oil saleswoman should be bloody ashamed of PIMPING thier daughter, like Jean-Benet Ramsey sans lipstick.
The conceited, trite daughter was mum for years as if she had a pea brain. Alas, it's election time and Mummy wants her ol' 1500 Penny addy back.
Typical snake OIL Clinton charlatanism. Petty and COMMON. The only people in this country who'd allow the CLINTONs past the front door are the nouveau-riche and pill popping, self-righteous celebs.
Posted by: Duc D'Orleans | Feb 14, 2008 9:09:38 PM
the Clintons are only about the Clintons
they are special in there own minds.
Everyone else must need them they are Clinton.
There self centered world is the only thing that is right.
Others are only here for them.
They can only there somthing wrong with anyone who dos not agree with there point of view.
They want us just to shut and get a long with meaningless lives for they are Clinton
Posted by: David E | Feb 14, 2008 9:02:04 PM
when our forefathers,the farmers, carpenters, blacksmiths, the freed slaves etc followed George Washington into battle against Great Britain, the greatest power in the world at the time it wasnt because he was a self righteous wind sock who claimed to know everything, they followed him because they were inspired by him. Obama brings that same sort of inspiration to a new generation of americans and it will be a shame if this generation of american people can't be inspired to take another bold step toward the future and instead gutlessly decides to follow the same tired path hoping it will this time lead to a new destination.
Posted by: DAMON | Feb 14, 2008 9:01:13 PM
Added the president, "She just stuck up for her daughter, and for girls everywhere, and women everywhere, and it’s about time somebody did after a lot of the rhetoric we’ve been through in this election."
IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT BILL ISN'T IT
Posted by: MONICA | Feb 14, 2008 8:58:55 PM
Hussein Obama is all flash and no substance. Hitler was an inspirational speaker who breed a bunch of cult zombies too that destroyed their own country.
Posted by: ted | Feb 14, 2008 8:57:17 PM
As long as Chelsea was out of it, sitting at home, being a daughter, she was entitled to privacy, and to be left out of the media, but as soon as Mom and Dad put her out there on the campaign trail, she became fair game for anyone to take a shot at her. Its all part of it. You cannot have it both ways. You want to protect her, keep her out of the picture.
"Pimping" someone out, is hardly an offensive term in this cruddy society we are stuck with, anyway
John
Posted by: John | Feb 14, 2008 8:54:36 PM
Defeat Hillary! Vote for Obama, Ohio and Texas!
Posted by: Buckskin | Feb 14, 2008 8:51:04 PM
What an AWFUL little man.
Posted by: Duchess | Feb 14, 2008 8:39:12 PM
In Clinton land the only voters who matter are the ones who vote for Clintons. What could be more clear?
I'm all for the idea the right woman becoming President, but it would be nice if it were a woman of individual accomplishment and not an expert at coat-tail riding. How many people be voting for Hillary Rodham the Arkansas corporate attorney?
Posted by: John | Feb 14, 2008 7:55:51 PM
Did Slick Willie say they were running the campaign on a shoe string budget or a "g" string budget???
Posted by: 2 Cents Worth | Feb 14, 2008 7:49:09 PM
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